Expands purpose of Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by eligible individuals in accessing support group meetings.

A1494

ASSEMBLY, No. 1494

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblywoman MITCHELLE DRULIS

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Donlon

SYNOPSIS

���� Expands purpose of Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to
support transportation costs incurred by eligible individuals in accessing
support group meetings.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

concerning the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund and
amending P.L.2001, c.332.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� Section 6 of P.L.2001,
c.332 (C.30:6F-6) is amended to read as follows:

���� 6.� a.� Monies in the
Traumatic Brain Injury Fund shall be distributed by the Department of Human
Services for the following purposes:

���� (1) as the payer of last
resort, for the costs of post-acute care, services
,
and financial
assistance
, including the costs for transportation services to access
support group meetings,
� provided in this State to residents of this State
who have survived neuro-trauma with a traumatic brain injury
.� Under this
paragraph, support group meetings shall mean any gathering of individuals with traumatic
brain

injuries who congregate in order to obtain information
and perspective, relative to their injuries, and to improve their general
well-being
; and

���� (2) public information and
prevention education coordinated by the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey.

���� b.� The department, in
consultation with the council, shall establish eligibility criteria for the
post-acute care, services and financial assistance provided pursuant to this
section.� Expenditures for traumatic brain injury care shall be made by the
department.

���� (1) Total expenditures on
behalf of any one eligible person shall not exceed $100,000, with no more than
$15,000 to be expended for any 12-month period; except that a person may apply
to the department for a waiver of these expenditure limits.

���� (2) Expenditures shall be made
only if comparable resources are not available or are not able to be delivered
in a timely manner.

���� (3) To the extent of the
assistance it has provided, the fund shall have first claim to any future
monies received by the person with traumatic brain injury as the result of a
settlement or other payment made in connection with the traumatic brain injury.

���� (4) In the event the
department is unable to provide funds to all eligible persons, the department,
in consultation with the council, may establish an order of selection.

���� c.���� The department shall
accept applications for disbursements of available money from the fund and
maintain records of all disbursements made from the fund and monies received as
gifts and donations.� The department shall utilize existing State resources and
staff of participating State agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations
whenever practicable.

(cf: P.L.2001, c.332, s.6)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill expands the purpose
of the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by
an eligible individual in accessing support group meetings.� Under the bill,
support group meetings mean any gathering of individuals with traumatic brain injuries
who congregate in order to obtain information and perspective, relative to
their injuries, and to improve their general well-being.� Pursuant to
N.J.A.C.10:141-1.11, the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund currently provides payment
to an eligible individual for transportation services related to accessing
medical appointments, treatment facilities, or vocational programs.�

���� The Traumatic Brain Injury
Fund purchases supports and services for eligible New Jersey residents of any
age, who have survived a traumatic brain injury, to foster independence and
maximize quality of life when insurance, personal resources, or public programs
are unavailable to meet those needs.� A portion of the fund also is used to
support public education, outreach, and prevention activities related to
traumatic brain injuries. A $0.50 surcharge on motor vehicle registration fees
generates revenue for the fund.